


Finally

by ByTheLightOfAThousandSuns



Series: Journey to Recovery [2]
Category: Jack West Jr Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: Comfort No Hurt, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, set during FGW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:27:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22734808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ByTheLightOfAThousandSuns/pseuds/ByTheLightOfAThousandSuns
Summary: Recovery takes time, but Pooh Bear is going to make damned sure that Stretch isn't having to go through it alone.
Relationships: Benjamin "Stretch" Cohen/Zahir "Pooh Bear" al Anzar al Abbas
Series: Journey to Recovery [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1634500
Comments: 5
Kudos: 8





	Finally

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to make this into a series rather than a multi-chapter fic. It probably won't see regular updates, but hey, now if I ever feel like writing more tooth-rotting fluff then I have a place to put it.

‘Someone looks happy over there.’

Keeping his eyes shut as he basked in the dappled sunlight, Stretch waved a hand dismissively in the direction of Pooh’s voice. ‘This is the first real sun I’ve had in weeks. Forgive me if I feel like reverting to a plant for a few hours.’

The chuckle that followed sounded closer than before and the grass beside him rustled only a few seconds later. Twisting his head around from where he had been lying back on his arms, Stretch opened his eyes to offer Pooh a smile. 

They were outside on the grassy cliffs near the lighthouse, overlooking the turbulent ocean that crashed against the cliffs of the sea rangers hideaway. The remoteness of the area meant that outdoor training wasn’t just possible, it was also something that Jack actively encouraged. Even as they spoke, he and Zoe were out for a morning run along the cliff side, taking advantage of the decent weather. Normally Pooh would have elected to join them, at least for a while. But that particular morning Zoe had finally caved to Stretch’s pleas that he be allowed outside with them. He wasn’t allowed to actually train, at least not for a few more days until he had actually regained enough strength. But Pooh could already see that the fresh air and sunlight was doing him a world of good. 

Almost without thinking, he pressed the back of his fingers against Stretch’s cheek. Stretch started momentarily, then relaxed with a roll of his eyes. 

‘You’re starting to get some colour back.’ Pooh pulled his hand away. 

‘About time too. I want to start getting back into it.’ Shifting his arms back, Stretch rolled up onto his elbows.

Pooh frowned. ‘It wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer. No one is expecting you to bounce back immediately.’

He heard the sigh and saw the cold twist of Stretch’s lips as he pushed himself upright. ‘I should be bouncing back faster than I am.’

‘It’s only been a week.’ Pooh pointed out, but came up short when he heard the derisive snort.

‘And I’ve spent most of that week bed bound. It’s not like I was injured or anything. I was just…’ He never finished his sentence, biting his lip and looking away. 

Pooh remained silent, knowing that the end of that sentence would never come. At least not yet. There would be no physical scars from his ordeal, only scars that Pooh knew he couldn’t see. And right now Stretch was trying his hardest to distance himself from those scars entirely. 

Tentatively, Pooh rested a hand against his shoulder. This time Stretch didn’t jump, and he closed his eyes, drawing in a deep, steadying breath. After a moment, he softened and looked across at Pooh Bear. 

‘Never mind me.The point I’m trying to make is that we don’t have a lot of time. And if I’m going to be any help in the final stages of this, I need to get back into it now.’ Absently his hands plucked at the grass in the space between them. 

‘We can talk to Zoe about it,’ Pooh said, graciously yielding to his point. ‘But you have to promise that you won’t over do it. You still have to rest.’

‘I can rest when this is over.’ Stretch started, cutting off with a nervous chuckle when he saw Pooh’s frown darken in disapproval. ‘Fine. I promise. No over doing it.’

Right away Pooh’s frown melted away into a grin. He shifted his position on the grass, only noticing after the fact that he had moved closer. Stretch hadn’t noticed though, his attention now drawn towards the ocean view beside them. It was brilliant in the morning sun, the undulating surface awash with bright sunlight. Below them, they could hear the roaring crash of the waves against the cliff, the turbulence not matching the serenity of the horizon. Out on the far sky line, a heavy bank of cloud was forming, a storm that would no doubt hit later that day. 

For now though, all was calm. 

Pooh couldn’t help his smile as he allowed himself to become immersed in his surroundings. This moment wouldn’t last, it couldn’t. But for now he was going to make the best of it. 

He moved his hand across the ground, adjusting his weight to balance better, only to freeze as his hand came to rest almost perfectly on top of Stretch’s. His friend didn’t seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn’t move. Pooh quickly began to draw his hand back, trying to ignore the screaming temptation to just leave it there and-

Before he could retreat, Stretch’s hand moved and slender fingers curled through his. Stretch didn’t even turn, but Pooh could see his smirk clear as day. 

‘You think so loud, even I can hear you,’ he said, and Pooh could hear the unspoken laughter behind his words.

Pooh blushed, something he hadn’t done in years, and cleared his throat. ‘Well, I…’

Words failed him and he just ended up stuttering out some nonsense that even he couldn’t understand. The hand clutching his faltered immediately and started to pull away. Stretch coughed faintly and when Pooh looked back, he saw him tense as he prepared to stand. 

‘Sorry. I didn’t mean-’ It was his turn to break off when Pooh’s grip tightened, lacing their fingers firmly together. 

‘Don’t think you’re getting away that easily,’ Pooh said lightly, and for the first time Stretch looked back at him, eyes meeting his. ‘It may take me a little longer to work up the courage to do anything, but that doesn’t mean that I will regret it.’

He knew he wasn’t imagining the ghost of a smile that graced Stretch’s features and not for the first time, his heart sped up at the sight. He loved Stretch’s smile, a fact that he could easily admit to himself. But more than anything he loved that he was one of the only people that could draw such a smile from him. Once upon a time, back at the farm, he would have sworn up and down that Stretch was incapable of smiling at all. And the one or two times he actually did see it, he had always proclaimed bitterly that he didn’t trust it to be real. In fact, he had spent so long distrusting him, that the first time he had seen him smile genuinely, he had been so taken aback that the day was still firmly engraved in his mind. It hadn’t even been anything special, just a comment muttered off the back of some benign conversation. But the smothered laughter and grin that had been swiftly covered by a hand had caught his attention so completely it had been hard to look away. It had been his eyes really. The creases that formed in the corners and the way the usually steely grey irises lit up...from that moment on he had vowed that he would do everything he could to see that smile again. 

He was drawn out from his revere by Stretch moving beside him, and the warm sensation of a head resting against his shoulder.

‘You’re thinking again,’ he said quietly. 

‘Is that a bad thing?’ Pooh hummed, the tension in his muscles leeching out. 

Slowly, carefully, he moved his head to allow his cheek to rest atop Stretch’s brow. He felt the slight exhale of breath against his shoulder, the relief slight yet palatable. This was all still new, each uncertain movement the next step in a dance that had been occurring for some time now. Each step would bring them a little closer to each other, yet both partners still moved with uncertainty. How far was too far? How close could they get before the other pulled away?

~And because I love you~

The words from a conversation less than a week ago still floated in the air, untouched since then. If Pooh had to be honest, he didn’t think that Stretch even remembered that day, let alone those fleeting moments of conversation that had occurred right before he drifted off to sleep. Did he remember what he himself had mumbled in those final few seconds? He certainly wouldn’t remember the smile that had broken across Pooh’s face at those simple few words. 

~Love you too.~

Movement again beside him as Stretch shifted just that little bit closer. The grip on his hand tightened. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Stretch stared out at the ocean, his expression soft and distant. 

This was all a dance. A dance where the next step had been left up to him, Pooh realised. 

‘Stretch.’

‘Mm?’ Stretch turned ever so slightly, just enough to face him. 

Ignoring the beating of his own heart and the deep fluttering in his stomach that made him feel like a child all over again, Pooh quickly leaned in a pressed a kiss against his lips. It was a soft thing, fleeting, no more than a second. He pulled back, and immediately the voice in his head was shouting at him, telling him that he had crossed the line, that he had moved to fast. He heard Stretch inhale, felt his hand pull away from his and he just about wanted to throw himself off the cliff edge in shame. 

A warm palm, calloused but soft, cupped his cheek and his eyes met Stretch’s. His friend smiled, and Pooh heard the soft breath of laughter. 

‘You look so scared right now,’ he breathed, and Pooh felt a thumb brush gently across his cheek. 

‘Did I go too far?’ He asked, his voice shaking.

‘No.’

Lips were pressed against his again, sure and firm and confident. This time Pooh leaned into it, taking that final step in the dance that finally brought them together. His hands wound their way around a slender waist, twisting Stretch in to him, until he was as close as he could be. He could feel Stretch locking an arm around his back, holding him steady until they came apart.   
Silence followed. Any words that Pooh had wanted to say died on his lips. All he could do was pull Stretch in, pressing their brows together, keeping him close. 

In the end, Stretch found his voice first. 

‘Fucking finally.’

Pooh started, shocked. Then that shock turned to amusement which quickly turned into laughter and he tugged Stretch forward so he could plant a solid kiss to his cheek. 

‘Yes my friend. Finally.’

**Author's Note:**

> I will ship these two until my last breath. And I didn't totally hate what I wrote so I guess I'm putting it here.   
> Enjoy.


End file.
